On the off chance someone at Nikon, (and not the geniuses who came up with the V1/2 line) are listening, what would you do if Nikon introduced a retro-design (a la Olympus, Fuji) compact, full-frame F-mount body the size of the FM2/3 with, say, 18-24MP, mirrorless or mirror w/ prism and hybrid VF with focus-peak assist, optimized for manual focus and ƒ/1.2, that can still AF with G-type lenses (but not screw-driven D's).

I wouldn't be interested unless there was a new lens line. The point of mirrorless is size and mounting a 70-200 or 85mm 1.4 on these makes no sense and I'd just take my D800E. While the all metal bodies of these cameras was nice in some ways they were pretty heavy.

j.liam wrote:
Ah, but the point is NOT to have to deal with yet another mount incompatible with everything else.

But why have a mirrorless camera if you are stuck with the same sized lenses? I think your point is not compatible with what the majority of people want, and why there is a movement towards mirrorless/MFT cameras. The MFT cameras are popular because they offer a small easy to carry around size and very good IQ. They don't require that you mount the same sized lenses. One read of the alt forum will confirm that most people are moving toward these systems due to size - at least that is what I take away from it.

j.liam wrote:
On the off chance someone at Nikon, (and not the geniuses who came up with the V1/2 line) are listening, what would you do if Nikon introduced a retro-design (a la Olympus, Fuji) compact, full-frame F-mount body the size of the FM2/3 with, say, 18-24MP, prism and hybrid VF with focus-peak assist, optimized for manual focus and ƒ/1.2, that can still AF with G-type lenses (but not screw-driven D's).

Definitely interested - I don't use 90% of the things my D800 can do and a slimmed down version optimized for non-AF operation would be a very very welcomed addition to my gear. I currently have a m43 GH-2 for my much lighter body.

One of the things I don't like about Nikon's DXXX line is the bulk of the body - especially when having it slung around my torso. An FM2/FM3A sized camera and some pancake primes would go along way toward having FX be a more pleasurable experience for on-the go shooting.

jhinkey wrote:I don't use 90% of the things my D800 can do and a slimmed down version optimized for non-AF operation would be a very very welcomed addition to my gear.
One of the things I don't like about Nikon's DXXX line is the bulk of the body - especially when having it slung around my torso. An FM2/FM3A sized camera and some pancake primes would go along way toward having FX be a more pleasurable experience for on-the go shooting.

John

I think John gets precisely what my imaginary design is aiming for. Fair to posit that many aren't interested in yet another mount and given the popularity of adapters for Fuji X, NEX and the Metabones speed booster, people are happy using the best of the old SLR lenses they have on a simpler, more compact body. For tiny, a Sony RX-100 will do, but we're not talking about that.

Video? Screw-drive AF lenses? The myriad of menu options buried somewhere, I can neither find, need nor care to spend time using? I can live without them all. I kept my FM-2 to shoot B&W film for the purpose of simplicity.

Mark_L wrote:
I wouldn't be interested unless there was a new lens line. The point of mirrorless is size and mounting a 70-200 or 85mm 1.4 on these makes no sense and I'd just take my D800E. While the all metal bodies of these cameras was nice in some ways they were pretty heavy.

+10 My only issue with the V2 is it's price. If it were $500 - $600 I would own one already.

jhinkey wrote:
Definitely interested - I don't use 90% of the things my D800 can do and a slimmed down version optimized for non-AF operation would be a very very welcomed addition to my gear. I currently have a m43 GH-2 for my much lighter body.

One of the things I don't like about Nikon's DXXX line is the bulk of the body - especially when having it slung around my torso. An FM2/FM3A sized camera and some pancake primes would go along way toward having FX be a more pleasurable experience for on-the go shooting.

John

D600!!! Sounds like that would fit the bill in terms of size and you could get an after-marke focus screen for the viewfinder.

carstenw wrote:
Well, no vote from me. I want a mirror and prism, not an EVF.

I'll take an EVF if I can see what's actually in focus with my f/2 and faster lenses AND see the whole frame.
EVFs now are getting really really good for resolution, update rate, and noise . . .
They have their downsides for sure (as do OVFs), but they have lots of other positive features over OVFs that make them really attractive for many users.
I could go either way if either was done right and optimized for fast glass in low light situations.

Mark_L wrote:
A big reason I bought a grip for the D800E was to balance it better with fast lenses and so my hand didn't feel like it was about to fall off the bottom. I cannot imagine a FM body with these.

I see your point; part of why I gave up on the D800. But the FM-2 for whatever ergonomic reason, doesn't trouble me in this way. Maybe I got used to its size shooting for 15 years before getting a DSLR.

Is there any reason to believe that the last niche wouldn't be as successful as the others? I don't think so. There seem to be enough potential customers for such a camera to make it profitable for Nikon, and the FM3A would be a perfect base for it. With updated coatings and a few other small adjustments, I'm sure some of the AI-S lenses would work excellently on such a camera, generating extra lens sales for Nikon as well. 50mm f/1.2 AI-D anyone? 105mm f/2.5? Just keep it simple, Nikon.